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Cross-Border Conference Yields Cancer Partnership, Innovation Plan

Vancouver, B.C. -- A meeting of business and political leaders from Washington state and British Columbia has resulted in two agreements. One of those agreements hopes to speed up treatments for cancer. The other would create a border-straddling effort to boost innovation.

Amongst the polite talk of bi-national co-operation between politicians and business at the Cascadia Innovation Corridor Conference, the Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the B.C. Cancer Agency signed a formal memorandum of understanding.

The two organizations will undertake mutual efforts in a number of specific areas, said Dr. Gary Gilliland, president of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center: "Collaboration in clinical trials; collaboration in public health sciences, but in epidemiology and prevention of cancer; in areas around genomics of cancer; immunotherapy of cancer; and stem cell transplantation.”

Washington Governor Jay Inslee and British Columbia Premier Christy Clark signed an agreement to work together on technology, research, education, developing workforces, transportation and investment.